Many techniques in the biological sciences require attachment of labels to molecules, such as polypeptides. For example, the location of a polypeptide within a cell can be determined by attaching a fluorescent label to the polypeptide.
Traditionally, labeling has been accomplished by chemical modification of purified polypeptides. For example, the normal procedures for fluorescent labeling require that the polypeptide be covalently reacted in vitro with a fluorescent dye, then repurified to remove excess dye and/or any damaged polypeptide. Using this approach, problems of labeling stoichiometry and disruption of biological activity are often encountered. Furthermore, to study a chemically modified polypeptide within a cell, microinjection can be required. This can be tedious and cannot be performed on a large population of cells.
Thiol- and amine-reactive chemical labels exist and can be used to label polypeptides within a living cell. However, these chemical labels are promiscuous. Such labels cannot specifically react with a particular cysteine or lysine of a particular polypeptide within a living cell that has numerous other reactive thiol and amine groups.
A more recent method of intracellular labelling of polypeptides in living cells has involved genetically engineering fusion polypeptides that include green fluorescent protein (GFP) and a polypeptide of interest. However, GFP is limited in versatility because it cannot reversibly label the polypeptide. The ability to generate a wide range of specifically labeled molecules easily and reliably would be particularly useful.